Jordan Oliver seeks second NCAA wrestling championship

Former Easton wrestler is top seed at 149 pounds at nationals.

Former Easton wrestler, now a senior at Oklahoma State, Jordan Oliver is… (THE MORNING CALL )

March 19, 2013|By Gary R. Blockus, Of The Morning Call

Jordan Oliver's greatest desire is to wrestle in the Olympics for the United States.

Ever since February, when the International Olympic Committee announced that wrestling would be removed from the Olympic program for 2020, the Easton native did not waste time contemplating the meaning of that announcement.

"I can't let that distract me," the Oklahoma State senior told The Morning Call. "I'm still in college and I'm wrestling for my second national title and I've got to prepare for that. All that other stuff will take care of itself."

Oliver, 33-0, is the top seed at 149 pounds at the 2013 NCAA Division I championships, which run Thursday through Saturday at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. That's up two weight classes from his first three years as a wrestler, where he finished fourth, first, and last year in an upset on a controversial non-call at the buzzer, second to Ohio State's Logan Stieber, who is the top seed at 133 again this year.

"I have bitter feelings about that," Oliver said of not getting awarded a match-winning takedown at the edge of the mat that barely beat the buzzer. It cost the three-time PIAA champion a chance to be going for his third national title.

"It's definitely not the outcome I wanted, and that has motivated me," he said. "Obviously there is no revenge, but I walked away with a fire to make sure that doesn't happen again. This time I plan to make sure that no rest will be involved in any of my matches."

Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith, a four-time world champion and two-time Olympic champion, likes what Oliver has accomplished so far this season. He has seen Oliver grow as a wrestler because of the motivation and a high ankle sprain suffered earlier in the season that caused him to adjust his style a bit.

"I think he's embracing his senior year and, more than ever, has taken on the role of what it means to be a team captain by taking care of and helping some of the younger guys on our team," Smith said.

"He's been that kind of senior that you want on your team, not one who is talking about 'my goals,' but the one who is willing to do everything he can to help his team and its overall goals."

Smith said the bump up two weight classes was really a natural fit for Oliver, who is still a bit underweight for 149, which allows him to fuel his body more properly for the vigorous style he wrestles.

"Jordan can wrestle at a lot of different weights, he's got that kind of body," Smith said.

Oliver said that 149 was a great option because it's the weight class — 66 kilos, or 145.2 pounds — that he will compete at internationally once his collegiate career comes to a close, hopefully atop the podium on Saturday.

"I am feeling strong and big enough to go with those guys, and I'm definitely fast enough," Oliver said. "It's been a terrific decision. I'm feeling healthier than usual and stronger than usual."

Oliver said that being the top seed at 149 has no bearing on his mental approach to the grueling three-day national tournament.

Smith noted that Oliver's attacking style has become more relentless this season despite going against bigger opponents than he faced during his first three seasons at Oklahoma State.

Smith said he and Oliver quickly analyzed what happened in the finals last year and made a game plan of what to adjust so that he's never in that position again, the position of making the referee decide instead making it decisive on the scoreboard.

"That's how the great athletes approach it, the world champions, the Olympic champions," Smith said. "You don't have the opportunity to coach many athletes that have that capability, and Jordan is one of those athletes."

Oliver doesn't want to accept that this year, however. He wants to go out on the mat and prove it every match.

And only then will he begin to think about the ongoing fight to keep wrestling in the Olympics.